PORTLAND, Ore. --- Fifteen Pilots will head to Austin, Tx., this weekend to compete at the 2017 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field West Preliminary Rounds on Thursday, May 25 through Saturday, May 27. The three days of competition will take place at the Mike A. Myers Stadium and feature some of the nation's premier student-athletes.
 
Junior Taryn Rawlings, who sits just shy of the all-time record with a time of 4:16.37, will compete in the 1500 on Thursday, accompanied by seniors Anne Luijten and Parkes Kendrick. Luijten and Kendrick who are fourth and fifth all-time in the 1500m, qualify with season best times of 4:23:15 and 4:25.74. Seniors Anna Farello and Grace McConnochie, along with redshirt junior Mathilde Sagnes, will compete later that night in the 10,000. Farello and McConnochie rank second and third all-time with season and personal best times of 33:44.75 and 33:58.48. Sagnes at eighth in the record books also qualifies with a season best of 34:42.90.
 
Rawlings, Luijten, and Farello will then end the meet for the women on Saturday in the 5000m, where they sit sixth, seventh, and eighth at UP with times of 16:08.39, 16:10.46, and 16:19.32.
 
Kaylie Van Loo enters her fourth regionals in a row competing as the lone Pilot in the javelin to begin the meet on Thursday afternoon.
 
"I'm really impressed with this group of qualifiers," said women's head coach Ian Solof. "For us to have seven women in the meet, while redshirting Lauren LaRocco, is amazing. We know the conditions in Austin will be difficult but everyone is fit, motivated and ready to be tough."
 
On the men's side, Jeff Thies will run in the 1500m on Thursday. Thies broke the all-time record for UP in the 1500m this season at the Bryan Clay Invite with a time of 3:41.11. The time stood as the national leader for five minutes until the fastest heat at the Invite was completed.
 
Five Pilots will then end Thursday night for the men in the 10,000m. Seniors Alex Dillard, Brady Johnson, Danny Martinez, and Tim Ball along with sophomore Reuben Kiprono, qualify with times of 29:19.42, 29:19.87, 29:20.88, 29:27.78, and 29:36.62.
 
Sophomore Noah Schutte will then be the only Pilot to compete on Friday. Running in the 3000m Steeplechase, Schutte is about one second off of making his mark in the UP record books.
 
The 5000m men will then close the meet for the Pilots on Saturday. Seniors Alex Dillard, and Brady Johnson as well as redshirt freshman Caleb Webb qualify with times of 14:01.10, 14:04.25, and 14:00.15
 
Athletes who rank among the top 48 in their respective event earned berths into the NCAA West Preliminary Rounds. The best 24 relay times also advance to NCAA prelims. Athletes with the top 12 times/marks and the best 12 relay teams at both the East and West Preliminary Rounds sites will qualify for the NCAA Championships in Eugene, Oregon, June 7-10.
 
The meet will be streamed live on FloTrack and live results can be found here.
 
NCAA D1 West Preliminary Round
Austin, Tx.
Schedule - Subject to change
Central Time/Pacific Time
 
Thursday: May 25, 2017
3:00 P.M./1:00 P.M. – Javelin (First Round): Kaylie Van Loo
5:30 P.M./ 3:30 P.M. - Women's 1500m (First Round): Taryn Rawlings, Anne Luijten, Parkes Kendrick
6:00 P.M./ 4:00 P.M. - Men's 1500m (First Round): Jeff Thies
9:00 P.M./ 7:00 P.M. - Women's 10,000m (Semifinal): Anna Farello, Grace McConnochie, Mathilde Sagnes
9:40 P.M./ 7:40 P.M. - Men's 10,000m (Semifinals): Alex Dillard, Brady Johnson, Danny Martinez, Tim Ball, Reuben Kiprono
 
Friday: May 26, 2017
9:00 P.M./ 7:00 P.M. - Men's 3000m Steeplechase (Quarterfinal): Noah Schutte
 
Saturday May 27, 2017
8:05 P.M./ 6:05 P.M. - Women's 5000m (Semifinal): Taryn Rawlings, Anne Luijten, Anna Farello
8:45 P.M./ 6:45 P.M. - Men's 5000m (Semifinal): Caleb Webb, Alex Dillard, Brady Johnson